ChrisShaul.com

Your Web Based Future II - Living in the Clouds

I am starting to realize that without knowing it, I am usually tapped into things new and forthcoming in the Information Technology world. I switched to gmail a while ago and now I am realizing that Google is on the way of being a web based application provider.

They aren’t the only one’s. Pretty soon all of your applications may be online. Your word processor, your spreadsheets, your mp3 library, etc.

This is being enabled by Java and XML, two technologies that are emerging as the language of the internet apps.

Now there is a new player in this space… AJAX. No, not the cleaning liquid, but the company founded by Michael Robertson, (founder of MP3.com and Linspire).

This company is enabling free wordprocessing, spreadsheets, drawing, mp3 playing, and other new apps every day. Here, try out the word processor:

http://www.ajaxwrite.com
(You need the Firefox browser, available by download on the sidebar of http://www.chrisshaul.com)

If you really want the inside scoop on where this technology is going, please watch this video in Real Player. If I were at Microsoft, I would be worried!

This technology is soooo cool, I can see it becoming a standard for more than just desktop applications. Business apps, such as accounting programs, contact managers, etc. The possibilites are unlimited.

The other great thing about this, is it is driving down the cost of computing. Imagine getting a $150 Linux based computer, with online access to any software tools immediately through your Firefox browser! No more license costs!

We will soon be living in the “clouds”. (the clouds is a reference to the Internet, something ethereal and without form.)

Let me know what you think by commenting on this post.